Jail officials suspended in bhang party case

17 Feb 201806:25am IST

17 Feb 201806:25am IST

Report byTeam Herald

PANJIM: The Prisons Department has suspended five Colvale prison staff holding them prima facie responsible for the illegal bhang party within the jail premises. Inspector General of Prisons Rajendra Mirajkar also proposed that the government order a magisterial inquiry for an in-depth inquiry into the episode including smuggling of bhang.

The preliminary inquiry revealed that an illegal party was indeed held in the jail premise; and jail guard Kiran Naik and two inmates Vinay Gadekar and Suryesh Arolkar had taken ill after consuming the ‘drink’.

Mirajkar confirmed to Herald about the development citing the incident as ‘serious’. “I have suspended the five officials after the receipt of the inquiry report from Jail Superintendent. In my (action taken) report to the government, I have recommended a magisterial inquiry for a detailed probe. This is serious…” he said.

Naik and the two inmates had vomited after consuming bhang on the Mahashivratri day and were rushed to the hospital. The bhang, it is alleged, was offered by another inmate Anil Bhuye, who is appointed as a cook in the jail kitchen. The Jail Superintendent thereafter confiscated the ‘drink’ stored in a bucket and lodged a police complaint at Mapusa police station. The Food & Drugs Administration has also been roped in to conduct a sample test of the seized product.

Asked on how the bhang was taken inside the guarded premises, Mirajkar said a magisterial inquiry will expose the activities in the jail. Moreover, how the two under trials managed to have access to Cell Number 3, actually meant for accused lodged for narcotics cases, also needs to be probe. “Bhuye is an under trial in narcotics case, but how the other two had access to this cell also needs to be investigated. Several things need to be inquired into which is why I have recommended a magisterial inquiry. It is now for the government to decide,” he said.